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I use Bridge all the time too - couldn't live without it. I organize my kits by the stores, then the designers. When I purchase a new kit, I have a folder I created called "Kit Previews". I put a copy of each kit in there. That way, if I'm looking for something, I'll look at the kit previews quickly and then know where to go to find the whole kit. It works for me anyway.

I use Bridge all the time too - couldn't live without it. I organize my kits by the stores, then the designers. When I purchase a new kit, I have a folder I created called "Kit Previews". I put a copy of each kit in there. That way, if I'm looking for something, I'll look at the kit previews quickly and then know where to go to find the whole kit. It works for me anyway.

Hi darlene , i use acdsee because i didnt know how to organize my kits in Bridge ? Do we have a tutorial? Also i cant understand and dont know what is the difference in a Mac and a PC?

Anna, unfortunately, tagging and titling is just a necessary, time-consuming bit of housekeeping that needs to be done. I don't bother with tags, just make sure the name of the element is appropriate so I can search in Bridge or the Finder for that word in the file name. For example, for ADSR we had to use a chipmunk, so I was relying on having either a designer's appropriate name for the file, or my own housekeeping having given that name. I found only one in my stash, which is huge, so I was glad for not having to extract one.

Many designers are really nice to have appropriately named their files (or tagged them) so we can search and find. Many others only give the file names something like "element 1...2...3..." etc. A major hassle to have to rename all the elements in a kit, but if you do it when you unzip and put the kit away, you will always be able to find what you want.

I use generic names like flower, leaf, tree, ribbon, bow, etc. then do the search in Bridge when you're in a folder and you will search all files in that folder and subfolders. So, I can find all the flowers in all the kits (that I have) by all the designers at GDS, by having the GDS main folder open when I do the search. That's for my system, as I sort first by store, then by designer, then in folders for each kit, with separate folders for papers and elements. Other people use other systems.

It's great you're getting to learn how to do things that suit your organization system right off the bat. It will certainly help you learn your new computer's way of doing things!

Anna, unfortunately, tagging and titling is just a necessary, time-consuming bit of housekeeping that needs to be done. I don't bother with tags, just make sure the name of the element is appropriate so I can search in Bridge or the Finder for that word in the file name. For example, for ADSR we had to use a chipmunk, so I was relying on having either a designer's appropriate name for the file, or my own housekeeping having given that name. I found only one in my stash, which is huge, so I was glad for not having to extract one.

Many designers are really nice to have appropriately named their files (or tagged them) so we can search and find. Many others only give the file names something like "element 1...2...3..." etc. A major hassle to have to rename all the elements in a kit, but if you do it when you unzip and put the kit away, you will always be able to find what you want.

I use generic names like flower, leaf, tree, ribbon, bow, etc. then do the search in Bridge when you're in a folder and you will search all files in that folder and subfolders. So, I can find all the flowers in all the kits (that I have) by all the designers at GDS, by having the GDS main folder open when I do the search. That's for my system, as I sort first by store, then by designer, then in folders for each kit, with separate folders for papers and elements. Other people use other systems.

It's great you're getting to learn how to do things that suit your organization system right off the bat. It will certainly help you learn your new computer's way of doing things!

Donna , i have just read your post ! i was using Acdsee ,and tonight i lost every thing . this has happened before , anyhow i would like to know how do you go about tagging or whatever in Bridge please ?

Maggie,
In Bridge you can either tag files or rename them. I just use the renaming, as many of the items come from the designer already named. I also use Name Mangler to help with the renaming business on a batch basis (good for getting the names consistent).

To rename a file in Bridge, just click once on the file to highlight it, then again on the name to highlight that, and change it. To tag a file in Bridge, you use Keywords. There's a Keyword panel that you add to your workspace view (see the Window menu). Once in the Keywords panel, you can see there are some categories that are defaults (Events--Birthday, Graduation, Wedding), etc. that you can use to tag your photos. So, first you need to add the various keywords you want to use, then assign them to the files. For example, you might want to tag scrap supplies with a general name like flower, then a color in addition (separate keywords).

Thereafter you can search through a whole designer's stash with one query, which is done from the "Find" located under the arrow at the top of the Keywords Panel. Or even look within a particular store site, such as GDS, for any element matching your query among all the designers at a particular store. That is only, of course, if you've set up your organization system in that particular way: Store--Designer--Kits. If your system is different, you will search differently. If you've got designers who sell in multiple stores, you might then have to add the designer's name to the keyword search.

The renaming scheme (which I use) has the additional advantage of being Finder-friendly; you can search for things in the Finder (Mac specific technique here) without needing Bridge open. If you've got the Finder showing the icons in list view, you will even be able to see a little preview in the Find results screen.

Hope this helps, Maggie. Do whatever suits your organization scheme and is easiest for you.

Oh Dona, do I wish we lived closer so I could have you show me how to do all this! I keep telling myself I really need to organize my HUGE stash.
I have a basic organization, but really need to go more in depth.
When looking for that Chipmunk! I sure got to know my files better during that search, lol.
Organization is now on my to do list, LOL

i agree with Cathy. With this new computer....don't get me wrong, I love it....but my basic filing is killing me. I'm doing what you suggested and putting a preview on the front of the folder and it is going to take me until the end of the year to do all the files!!! Anybody visiting Texas soon??